** Indicates rolling admission application process. Applicants will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.

Program Overview

This course is designed for real-world application of marketing strategy and branding concepts in a deep, meaningful and transformative way. We’ll be working with microbusinesses in the former apartheid township of Khayelitsha, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Our marketing strategy consultation and recommendations will help these microbusinesses generate income that can pull families out of a deep cycle of poverty. We’ll explore how to build their brand/business, and help them envision future potential, using select frameworks and applying core marketing principles. Course materials will be curated from a variety of sources including select articles, Harvard Business Review, Internet sources, speaker insights, and instructor experience.Sample Winter Break 2019 Itinerary:

Wednesday

PM: Depart Cincinnati

Thursday

PM: Arrive Cape Town

Friday

AM: Table Mountain/Robben Island
PM: Victoria & Albert Waterfront

Saturday

AM: Introductory meetings with business owners
PM: Introductory meetings with business owners

Sunday

AM: Local church service (optional)
PM: Small business orientation/community visit

Location

Cape Town is the beautiful crown of South Africa, with the stunning Table Mountain overlooking the city and ocean, and miles of clear beaches and abundant vineyards. At 3.7 million people, it's the second most populous city in South Africa and one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world. It's a diverse melting pot of primarily indigenous tribes, Dutch colonists and European immigrants, and the combination of their unique styles made the city a 2014 World Design Capital. Cape Town is also a city still healing from the brutal effects of apartheid and AIDS. Informal settlements racked with extreme poverty and high unemployment starkly contrast the affluent coastal areas. It's a city full of rich history, diversity, and natural beauty, and was named the best place in the world to visit in 2014 by both the New York Times and the British Daily Telegraph.

Who Can Participate?

Business majors and minors and DAAP, Communication Design majors, third year and above
Prerequisites for business majors: MKTG2080, INTB3080, and MGMT3080.
An interview with the faculty may be required as part of the application process.

Student Spotlight: Alexandra Hart"Before this program, I thought I knew what I wanted to do in my life. I thought I wanted to work at a large corporation and just blend in with all the other employees. After this experience, and after acting as a consultant for an entrepreneur, I have learned that I want to go into consulting. Throughout my interactions with my small business owner, I got to see how much he learned by us explaining things to him. I also enjoyed learning a lot about the industry he was in. I realized that in consulting, I could be working on very different things all the time, and I could help a business owner develop their passions." Read more about Alexandra's experience here.

Academic Program and Course Information

This course will meet on Fridays from 8:00 - 8:55am. Tuition and fees are assessed based on total enrolled hours for a term. This includes the hours associated with the study abroad class. Students who enroll for more than 18 hours for the term will be assessed additional per credit hour fees over and above the flat fees associated with being enrolled full-time (for most students full-time is 12-18 hours).

Co-op students selected to participate in this program are required to enroll in the course during the designated term, regardless of when the student may be on co-op. If the course is during a term when the student is on co-op, tuition and fees will be charged per a student’s residency status and college, based on the part-time per credit hour rate.

A student can see his/her full and part time tuition rates and college fees here (use left-side navigation menu to click into the relevant academic year):https://www.uc.edu/bursar/fees.html

Faculty

Karen Crawford Manning brings over 40 years of business experience to the University of Cincinnati faculty. With increasing levels of responsibility in brand and product management with companies like Procter & Gamble, Schering Plough and Sara Lee, Manning went on to become President of 360 Connect LLC, a Cincinnati based marketing and advertising consulting firm. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University and Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business. In her free time, Manning enjoys to travel and is an aspiring artist.

Wendy Reinhart has a deep history in brand strategy and design consultation. The early foundation of her experience includes more than a decade of brand management and sales at Sara Lee and Hasbro where she led mature businesses, and developed and launched new product lines on a regional, national and global scale. Moving from client to agency, she joined Libby Perszyk Kathman, an international brand strategy and design agency, described by HOW Magazine as “one of the largest and most influential branding agencies on the planet.” In her roles as Strategic Director, Group Director, and ultimately Vice President at LPK, she led multiple client teams as well as LPK’s highest level of consultancy, their Strategic Director Group. She also spearheaded their company-wide strategy training including the codification of the LPK Brand Building Process. Her client work included brand strategy, identity development, brand architecture, and innovation strategy for clients such as Samsung, US Bank, University of Cincinnati, and Procter & Gamble.

Living Arrangements

Students will share accommodations in a mission house located in Somerset West a wealthy, safe town in South Africa. It is compared to the Napa Valley of California based on its proximity to the famous wine estates. (20 minute drive to Khayelitsha Township)

Getting There

Group flight round trip from Cincinnati to Capetown. Students may opt out of the group flight and purchase their own airline ticket. Students should not purchase a plane ticket until they have committed to the program, enrolled in the appropriate course, and received instructions from the International Programs Office.

Program Costs

View a cost breakdown for the South Africa program here. All students will receive scholarships from UC International and Lindner College of Business.

Note that both the program charges and the UC International scholarship will be posted separately on a student’s OneStop bill for the Fall 2019 Semester. Program charges are posted shortly after students commit to the program through the online application process and enroll in INTB3093. Scholarships are posted after all students register for the course connected to the study abroad experience.

This program has been awarded a UC International Scholarship (matriculated, UC degree-seeking students only). UC International requires a minimum 2.0 GPA to receive this funding.

Passports and Visas

A valid passport is essential to your international travel and study abroad. If you are planning to travel abroad, its best to apply for a passport now as processing times may vary. Please see the State Department's passport page for more information.

UC International is happy to guide UC faculty, staff and students to possible resources about visas for study abroad. Although, applying for the necessary visa for travel is the responsibility of the individual UC traveler. Entry requirements change frequently and we advise you to pay close attention to consular updates. It is your responsibility to knowing and addressing the requirements for your host study abroad destination.

Applying for a visa can be a complicated process. Some UC travelers choose to third party to assist with this process, for example Travisa or A Briggs (mention UC for a possible discount).

All UC students participating in a University of Cincinnati sanctioned or funded international travel program are required to purchase and maintain insurance while abroad. UC International partners with CISI to provide insurance for UC students.